Stoker



Aug. 2, 1932. M. L.. WENRICH STOKER Filed Feb. 26, 1929 2 Sheets-Sheet l JWN A TTORNE Y Aug. 2, 1932. M. L. wENRlcH STOKER Filed Feb. 26. 1929 2 sheets-sheet 2 Patented Aug. 2, 1932 UNrTED STATES PATENT OFFICE MARTIN L. WENRICH, OF ALTOONA, PENNSYLVANIA, ASSIGNOR TO THE STANDARD STOKER COMPANY, INCORPORATED,

A CORPORATION OF DELAWARE STOKEB Application filed February 26, 1929. Serial No. 342,865.

This invention relates to stokers and more particularly to stokers for locomotives and the like.

One of the objects of the invention is the provision of a stoker having new and improved means for transferring the fuel from the tender to the rebox of the locomotive.

Another object of the invention is the provision of a novel stoker having a riser conduit provided with new and improved closure means for the redoor opening that may be readily moved to inoperative position to permit hand liring of the boiler.

A further object of the invention is the provision of a new and improved stoker that is cheap to manufacture, easily installed to existing locomotives, efficient in operation, and one that is rugged and durable.

Other and further objects and advantages of the invention will appear from the following description taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, in which- Fig. 1 is a vertical section of a portion of a locomotive and tender therefor, showing the invention in position therein, with parts in section and parts broken away;

Fig. 2 is a rearelevation of the riser conduit taken on the line 2 2 of Fig. 1; and

Fig. 3 is a top plan view of the construction shown in Fig. 2.

Referring now to the drawings. the reference character 1() designates a locomotive having a backhead 11 and rebox 12. The backhead 11 is provided with the conventional firedoor opening 13. The tender is shown at 14 and the floor of the tender at 15. The cab deck is indicated at 16. The parts thus far described may be of the usual or any well known construction. p

The Stoker mechanism for transferring fuel from the'tender to the locomotive comprises a continuous conveyor conduit 17 extending from beneath the tender 15 to the firedoor opening 13. In the form of construction selected to illustrate one embodiment of the invention, the conduit 17 comprises rear or troughvsection 18 supported beneath the tender for receiving fuel therefrom by gravity in the usual manner; the

` is preferably connected at its rear end to the trough section 18 and at its forward end to the riser section 21 by the universal joints 22 and 23, respectively. From the rear sectionV it extends forwardly and slightly upwardly to the riser conduit 21. p

The riser section or conduit 21 is rigidly supported on the locomotive as by means of a suitable bracket 24 and by studs or bolts adapted to be received by the flange or tiredoor ring 24a which in this instance is integral with the riser. The riser comprises the lower inclined section 25 and the upwardly curved section 30. The rear end of this conduit is beneath the deck of the cab and the conduit extends from the intermediate section first forwardly and upwardly at a slight angle and t-hen curves upwardly and forwardly at a moderate angle to the tiring opening.

It will thus be seen that the conduit eX- tends from the tender to the firing opening without abrupt curves and bends, whereby the fuel may be transferred along the same with av minimum amount of crushing.

The sections of the conduit are provided with conveyor screw means 26 which is preferably composed of sections connected together by universal joints as at 27', 27a located within the universal joints of the conduit and'thus accommodating the relative movements of the tender and locomotive.

The forward or delivery end of the conveyor screw terminates at the bend or curve in the riser conduit and the fuel is forced from this point through the remainder of the conduit onto the distributor plate 29 from whence it is distributed over the lirebox by suitable steam nozzles 31.

Any form of suitable driving engine, not shown, may be used for imparting preferably continuous motion to the screw 26.

The* upper end of the conduit 21 is ared laterally to substantially the width of the firing opening. The upper end of this conduit may be regarded as being made in two sections forming closures or doors 32 and 33 for the firing opening between the irebox and the cab above the deck 15. rllhese sections are hinged at 34 and 35, at the sides of the conduit to the flange or iredoor ring 24a which if desired may be made separate from the riser. The sections extend the full length and width of the ring opening thus by this arrangement providing ample space at the upper end of the riser conduit for permitting the fuel to change its direction and move laterally onto the distributor plate 29 without becoming clogged in making the turn in said conduit.

From another aspect the members 32 and 33 may be considered as a closure or sectional lredoor for the tiring opening and are so constructed that their rear and side walls are in alignment with the walls of riser conduit 21 to form a continuation thereof. It will be observed that the side and rear walls of the members constituting the door form a continuation of the rear and side walls of the riser and extend in continuation above the plane of the distributor plate 29 a distance sufficient to permit the fuel within the conduit to rise in more or less a columnar form without obstruction to a height above the distributor plate, whereby the body of fuel in its ch ange of direction to the distributor plate will be broken by the actionof gravity, thus rolling or dropping forward into the zone of action of the steam distributing blast or distributor nozzles 31. The fuel is then distributed over the fire.

The embodiment of the invention shown is particularly adaptable to existing types of hand red locomotives, and may be applied thereto for use with the ordinary or usual size of firing opening, thereby obviating the necessity of enlarging said opening or making any material changes in the lirebox backwall. When so applied the closures 32 and 33 may be opened, giving access to the tiring opening for hand firing of the fuel or for inspection of thefirebox. This is considered an important feature of the invention because when they are in open position the upper edge of the conduit 21 does not extend above the lower edge of the firedoor opening, or if any, then very little and consequently the riser will not constitute an obstruction to hand firing.

It is thought from the foregoing taken in connection With the accompanying drawings, that the construction and operation of my device will be apparent to those familiar with the art, and that various changes in size, shape, proportion and details of construction may be made without departing from the` spirit and scope of the appended claims.

I claim: 1. In combination, a locomotive having a deck and a frebox backwall provided with a iredoor opening therethrough, a tender for said locomotive, a rigid riser conduit mounted on said locomotive and extending from beneath the floor of the deck to said tiredoor opening, said conduit comprising a lower inclined portion and an upwardly curved upper portion, a helical screw within said inclined portion having its axis parallel with the sidewalls thereof for conducting fuel along the same and for forcing it through said curved portion, and means for conveying fuel from said tender to said riser conduit and delivering the fuel thereto at a point below said deck.

2. In combination with a iirebox having a backwall with a firing opening therein, a stoker comprising a conduit system adapted to feed the fuel to the iirebox through said opening including a conveyor conduit having an upwardly and forwardly inclined riser communicating at its delivery end with said firing opening and terminating at a point above the level of the fire adjacent to the lower margin of said opening, a helical screw within said inclined riser having its axis par* allel with the sidewalls thereof a distributor plate projecting forwardly from the upper end of the forward wall of said riser inward through said opening and forming a substantially horizontal continuation of said forward wall, and a distributing nozzle adjacent the rear of said distributor plate, a door for said firing opening, said door being movably connected to said firebox and having its lower edge formed to cooperate with the side and rear walls of said riser to form a closure therewith for said opening against outside exposure adjacent thereto and the walls of said door forming a continuation of the rear and side walls of said riser extending above the plane of the distributor plate a distance suliicient to permit the angularly advancing column of fuel to rise without any obstructive resistance to a height above the distributor plate so that the action of gravity will break the columnar formation whereby the coal will roll or drop forward in front of the distributing nozzle, said nozzle having distributing jets discharging therefrom and adapted to act upon the coal as it is emitted from said riser.

3. In combination, a locomotive having a deck and provided with a irebox having a firing openin in the backwall thereof, a tender for said ocomotive, a transfer conduit located beneath the floor of the tender, a riser conduit rigidly mounted on Said locomotive, communicating at its lower end with the forward end of said transfer conduit, said riser conduit extending from beneath the floor of the deck to said firing opening and comprising a lower straight tubular inclined portion and an upwardly curved upper portion, helical screw means within said transfer conduit, and a helical screw within said inclined portion of said riser conduit having its axis parallel with the sidewalls thereof and terminating adjacent the lower end of said curved upper portion.

4. In combination, a locomotive having a deck and provided with a rebox having a firing opening in the backwall thereof, a tender for said locomotive, a trough located beneath the floor of the tender, a. riser conduit lo rigidly mounted on the locomotive extending from beneath the iioor of the deck to said iiring opening and comprising/a lower straight tubular inclined portion and an upwardly curved portion, said inclined portion being loc-ated below said deck and said curved upper portion being located above said deck, `an intermediate conduit communicating at its rearward end with said tender trough and at its forward end with said riser conduit, a

helical screw in said tender trough, a helical screw in said intermediate conduit, and a helical screw in the inclined portion of said riser conduit having its axis parallel with the sidewalls thereof and terminating adjacent the lower end of said upper portion.

5. In combination, a locomotive having a deck and a firebox backwall with a redoor opening therethrough, a tender for said locomotive, a rigid riser conduit mounted on 80 said locomotive and extending from beneath the Hoor of the deck to said firedoor opening, said conduit compris-ing a lower inclined por- 'tion and an upwardly curved upper portion, a helical screw within said inclined portion 85 for conducting fuel along the same and for forcing it through said curved portion, and means for conveying fuel from said tender p to said riser conduit and delivering the fuel thereto at a point below said deck.

o 6. In combination, a locomotive having a deck and provided with 'a iirebox having a firing opening in uthe backwall thereof, a tender for said locomotive, a transfer conduit located beneath the floor of the tender, a riser conduit rigidly mounted on said locomotive,

communicating at its lower end with the for- Ward end of said transfer conduit, said riser p conduit extending from beneath the floor of the deck to said firing opening and comprising a lower tubular inclined portion and an upwardly curved upper portion, helical screw means within said transfer conduit,

and a helical screw within said inclined portion of said riser conduit terminating adjacent the lower end of said curved upper portion. f

In testimony whereof I aix my signature.

MARTIN L. WENRICH. 

